Fluoroquinolones May Cause Double Vision
By Danielle Briones
Published on September 21, 2009
Double vision can be added to the long list of risks associated with fluoroquinolones antibiotics. Fluoroquinolones are a group of powerful drugs used to treat infections, including bacterial or chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis, urinary infections, and some skin infections.
Dr. Frederick W. Fraunfelder and Dr. Frederick T. Fraunfelder, ophthalmologists at the Casey Eye Institute at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland were prompted to conduct research due to periodic reports of eye problems associated with the drugs. They compiled all harmful vision-related reports that occurred between 1986 and 2009. From this data, they reported 171 cases of double vision in the September issue of the Ophthalmology journal.
Cases of double vision were linked to patients who were prescribed various fluoroquinolone products, including Cipro, Levaquin, Tequin, Avelox, Noroxin, and Floxin. The study concluded that the number of cases related to each antibiotic were proportional to the number of prescriptions, suggesting that the problem involves the larger class of drugs rather than a particular product.
The study found that the effect on vision does not appear to last; in 53 of the cases where use of the drug was terminated, vision quickly returned to normal.
The cause for double vision is unknown. However, speculations indicate that the drug may affect the tendons controlling the eye, thereby interfering with the eye's ability to focus.
Flouroquinolones such as Levaquin and Cipro have recently become the subject of lawsuits filed by patients who claim the drugs are associated with an increased risk of serious tendon injuries, including tendonitis and tendon rupture.
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